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Toward the end of their second day on the train, June 13, eight days before the summer solstice, they passed through some golden hills and over the Mississippi River into St. Louis. Annabeth and Estelle craned their necks to stare at the Gateway arch.

"I want to do that," Annabeth sighed.

"What?" Percy asked.

"Build something like that. You ever see the Parthenon, Percy?"

"Only in pictures."

"Someday, I'm going to see it in person. I'm going to build the greatest monument to the gods, ever. Something that'll last a thousand years." Estelle squeezed her hand.

Percy laughed. "You? An architect?"

Estelle clenched her fist, but her scattered mind didn't fully process the words. Annabeth, however, fully processed what Percy said. Her face reddened. "Yes, an architect. Athena expects her children to create things, not just tear them down, like a certain god of earthquakes I could mention." Percy was silent. "Sorry," Annabeth muttered. "That was mean."

"Can't we work together a little?" Percy pleaded. "I mean, didn't Athena and Poseidon ever cooperate?"

Annabeth thought for a moment. "I guess...the chariot," she said hesitantly. "My mom invented it, but Poseidon created horses out of the crests of waves. So they had to work together to make it complete."

"Then we can cooperate, too. Right?"

Annabeth silently watched the arch disappear behind a building as they rode through the city. "I suppose," she said at last. Pulling into the downtown station, a voice on the intercom told them there would be a three hour layover before they left again. Grover stretched. Before he was even fully awake, he said, "Food."

"Come on, goat boy," Annabeth said. "Sightseeing."

"Sightseeing?"

"The Gateway Arch," she said. "This may be my only chance to ride to the top. Are you coming or not?"

Grover and Percy exchanged looks and Estelle finally looked up. Her face had a serene look, but her mind was racing. She'd never felt so alone, so anxious, so– "As long as there's a snack bar without monsters." Grover cut into her looming thoughts.

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The Arch was about a mile from the train station. The lines weren't unbearably long, due to how late it was in the day. The quest-goers weaved their way through a museum, Annabeth excitedly telling them facts about the dusty objects scattered throughout the place. It wasn't thrilling, but Annabeth seemed excited, so Estelle pushed her feelings momentarily for her best friend.

"You smell anything?" Percy murmured to Grover, scanning the crowds. He took his nose out of the jelly-bean bag he and Percy were devouring long enough to sniff.

"Underground," Grover said. "Underground air always smells like monsters. Probably doesn't mean anything."

Something Grover said triggered her brain. She suddenly became aware of a strange feeling in her stomach. "Guys," Percy said. "You know the gods' symbols of power?"

Annabeth, who was in the middle of reading something about the arch, looked over. "Yeah?"

"Well, Hade—"

Grover cleared his throat. "We're in a public place....You mean, our friend downstairs?"

"Um, right," Percy said. "Our friend way downstairs. Doesn't he have a hat like Annabeth's?"

"You mean the Helm of Darkness," Annabeth said. "Yeah, that's his symbol of power. I saw it next to his seat during the winter solstice council meeting."